HOW DOES A CHURCH FUNCTION WITHOUT ELDERS?

A Church Without Elders• Can a Church Exist Without Elders? • Churches in Crete lacked something when

they did not have elders Titus 1:5 • Wisdom of God’s plan Ephesians 3:10-11• The churches in Galatia did exist without

elders until Paul and Barnabas appointed them Acts 14:23

• How does a church function without elders? Matt. 18:15-20, Acts 6:1-6 and Acts 15:1-30

How Can A Church Function Without Elders?

• Distributive function of members• All Christians are to look out for each

other Hebrews 12:14-16• All Christians are to encourage each

other Hebrews 3:12-13• All Christians are to assemble to

encourage each other Hebrews 10:24-25

How Can A Church Function Without Elders?

• Distributive function of members• All Christians give as prospered 1 Cor.

16:1-2• All Christians withdraw their company

from marked brethren 1 Cor. 5:9-13• All Christians are to do what they can for

the Lord & for each other Ephesians 4:16• Follow the authority of the head which is

Christ Eph. 4:15

How Can A Church Function Without Elders?

• Collective action of the local church• The church met to take care of church

business Acts 6:2-6• Apostles called the meeting v.2• Everyone attended v.2• The apostles gave the guidelines for

selecting deacons v.3

How Can A Church Function Without Elders?

• Collective action of the local churchActs 6:2-6

• Apostles explain why v.2,4 (communication)

• Everyone cooperated (was pleased) in the selection of the men v.5

• The apostles appointed the deacons v.6

How Can A Church Function Without Elders?

• Collective action of the local church Acts 15:1-30

• Church at Antioch (brethren in v.1) sent Paul & Barnabas to apostles & elders in Jerusalem about dispute over Judaism v.2-3

• Not a regional council• Not to learn doctrine (Paul already had it)• It served to confirm the word in Paul• Jerusalem was the source of the problem

v.1,5, especially v.24

How Can A Church Function Without Elders?

• Collective action of the local church Acts 15:1-30

• Met with the church and apostles & elders v.4

• Some Pharisees in the church spoke v.5• Apostles & elders met about this v.6• There was much dispute v.7 (see v.5)• Peter spoke

How Can A Church Function Without Elders?

• Collective action of the local church Acts 15:1-30

• Multitude was silent after Peter spoke v.12• Paul & Barnabas spoke• James offered a solution v.13-21• Apostles, elders, with whole church

pleased to send letter and men as a solution v.22, 23-25

“Business Meetings”• With or without elders Acts 6, Acts 15• Whole church assembled for church

business• Women silent in the churches 1 Cor. 14:34-

35• Men and brethren = male brethren that

spoke• On spiritual matters of judgment, elders

still make the final decisions

“Business Meetings”• On spiritual matters of judgment, elders

still make the final decisions• On nonspiritual matters of judgment,

submit to each other Eph. 5:21, experts 1 Cor. 16:14-16, younger men to older men 1 Peter 5:5, women to men 1 Cor. 14:34

• not majority rule, not minority rule, but united spiritual maturity rule 1 Cor. 1:10-13